Why I spent all of last summer watering trees......

[treeskin]

I spent most of yesterday at work pulling together information about the tree trail, kind of a final report, since the project is **finally** nearing completion. I hope.

Anyway, some statistics about the landscape projects we've done since I started this job amused me:

From 2000 - 2002, we've planted 336 trees on campus, representing 56 species or varieties. In the same time period, we've planted 643 shrubs, representing 24 species or varieties. And these are just the projects I was directly involved in; I've not kept track of plantings on inner campus.

Out of the numbers above, I have personally planted (in smaller renovation projects) about 35 trees, and probably 75 shrubs. Forgot to write down how many species. And, I've planted about 10,000 bulbs since I started here, about 2/3 were crocus, daffodils, and dwarf iris that are naturalized through various landscape beds.

Comments

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

Gingko cultivar: Hm. That *is* a tree I could fit in my yard. I know just where I'd put it, too. Are they dreadfully expensive?

I am still and always fighting that horrible vine that comes over from the neighbor, plus that jointed low creeping grass thing--I forget what kind it is; we didn't have it back home. And the orchard grass, of course, but that tends to be a lot easier to get rid of.

I think that I'm going to put landscaping fabric down on the beds at sidewalk level, once I get the roses in. I am very enamored of landscaping fabric. The package always recommends the big chippy mulch like pine bark, though. I mean, okay, it is pretty, but I garden barefoot, for goddess' sake. Have you ever walked barefoot on that pine bark mulch? It's terrible. Cypress is much better.

I can't wait till the forsythia blooms so I can prune my roses. I adore pruning, for some reason. :)

Well, I need to get to school so I can do some research to prepare for my smackdown fest tomorrow at the event.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

The gingko cultivar (Gingko biloba 'Chi Chi') is available from Forest Farm Nursery in Oregon (www.forestfarm.com). $22/1 gal pot. They ship things in their containers, so their shipping cost is really high....it'd be about $9 for a 1-gal pot. No minimum order, but they're happier if your order fits nicely into their packing boxes (either 1 one-gal pot, or multiples of 4--shipping's a little less that way). I ordered $750 worth of stuff from them (on the school's tab, of course) last fall....$250 of that was shipping. Great selection.

With the vine from your neighbors place....how do you feel about Roundup? Just zot the bits that show up in your turf. If you're not comfortable with that, take white vinegar, undiluted, and use a spray bottle to mist the plant on a hot sunny day. Not as complete a kill (often leaves the roots until you've hit it several times), but certainly more environmentally friendly. Ought to work on the zoysia grass you're trying to get rid of, too.

RE Landscape Fabric: I think the stuff is eveil. It's ok for the first year or two, but after that, you end up with decomposed mulch and dust forming soil on top, and then weed seeds will germinate on top of the fabric, and root through it. They're harder to get out that way. I'm fighting a lot of this at work.

They tell you to use a big, corase mulch because you get better air circulation and water percolation through it. Also, the finer-textured mulches have a tendency to mat together into a mass that sheds water and can smother your plants.